The Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on the Federal Government to direct the military to call off its operation, code-named “Python Dance II” in the South-east region.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its President General, John Nwodo, the group argued that “Nigeria at this moment does not need such deliberate and proactive escalation of tensions and crisis.’’

The group warned the government not to resort to the use of brute force in resolution of issue of agitations for self-determination as there were more “civilised and established practices to resolve our democratic and security challenges.”

It described the operation as an act of intimidation and warned that if it is not discontinued immediately, it would be left with no alternative than “to conclude that this is a containment policy aimed at the South-east to intimidate our people from freely expressing their anger and angst at their marginalization and treatment as second-class citizens.”

It added, “In a democracy the level of disenchantment expressed by the people of the South-east of Nigeria ought to have provoked a serious dialogue between our people and the Federal Executive and the Legislature.

“History teaches us that the continuous use of force to silence dissent and free speech will only accelerate the growth of dissent and dissatisfaction. Fundamental Rights of freedom of expression are critical for a successful democracy.”

The group said that the claim that the programme was aimed at checking increasing crime in the region has no empirical support because the first Python dance was used to extort money from the people and never addressed the issue of crimes.

“Our people were shamelessly intimidated and harassed at these check points. Operation Python Dance 1 procured no arrests of criminals that were prosecuted for any of the criminal activities that Operation Python Dance II is supposed to address.

“Instead, it witnessed reckless and indiscriminate murder of self-determination agitators in Asaba, Aba, Nkpor, and Port Harcourt numbering up to 191 by the estimates of Transparency International and shattered public confidence of South-easterners in the Nigerian Army and Police.”

On the clash between Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB supporters and the military on Sunday near its leader, Nnamdi Kanu’s country home, Ohanaeze Ndigbo described it as an unfortunate incident, pointing out that there was no need for such a provocative action on the part of the army.

It stated, “Crimes of monstrous proportions are occurring in other parts of Nigeria. Such crimes include ravaging killings by Fulani herdsmen in the Middle Belt, secret cult killings in Lagos and the South-west, bunkering and armed resistance in the Delta, wanton kidnappings and killing of military personnel in Kaduna State and environs as well as Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.

“The Nigerian Army has never embarked on Operation Python Dance in any of the other five geopolitical zones on account of these incidences. Innocent civilians living in these other parts of Nigeria have not witnessed the type of invasion Umuahia witnessed Sunday night.”